Review: Oakley Line Miner Pro Su Yiming Signature Series Snow Goggles
What we liked
Easy lens swap
Great Field of Vision
What we didn’t
Possibly too big for some helmets
Price
The Verdict
THE SHORT READ…
As you’d expect for the price, a quality pair of goggles that allow you to swap lenses on the move with ease. A wide field of vision (oakley claim 20% greater than standard goggles) is complemented by a strong strap and comfortable foam that make the Oakley Line Miner Pro Su Yiming Signature Series one less thing to think about when ragging it down a mountainside.
THE LONG READ …
I have used the Oakley Line Miner Pro Su Yiming Signature Series Snow Goggles in both bright sunshine and dull cloudy conditions, as they performed really well in both, although you may find a clear yellow lens better in a real whiteout.
They came with the w/prizm Rose Gold Iridium and prizm Sapphire Iridium lenses, and if I’m honest I couldn’t really tell the difference between them, other than one looked better with my jacket than the other (something I personally don’t care about). I’d have preferred a bright sunshine specific lens and a real low light one, rather than two quite similar ones.
The Switchlock™ technology to swap lenses is simple to use, the lens has magnets but there’s also two small red buttons on the frame, just inside the strap, when pressed they pop the lens away from the frame, great for removing the lens, but I did find when replacing the lens I’d have to either squeeze the lens back in, putting thumb marks on the lens, or press the red buttons back into place from the inside. having said that they do really lock the lens into place.
The fit, when used with the excellent Salomon MTN LAB Helmet or Oakley’s own MOD BC Helmet , is excellent, they fit snug to your face with no cold wind getting through when travelling at speed. However, if you had a smaller helmet they might not fit so well. The field of vision is very wide and there’s no feeling of claustrophobia that you can sometimes get when wearing goggles.
The strap is very wide and sticks really nicely to your helmet, both when riding and when lifting up and away from your eyes on a lift.
SUMMARY…
The Oakley Line Miner Pro Su Yiming Signature Series Snow Goggles are excellent, other than the two lenses being a little too similar, but for just shy of £300 you’d expect excellence wouldn’t you!
I do wonder if the price tag and Su Yiming Signature (he’s a chinese child actor turned snowboarder BTW) is targeted at his Asian super fans, I guess if I’m still wearing them in five seasons time and the lenses are still crystal clear then it’ll be money well spent, only time will tell.
